Remember when you see 'unhoused' person that they are someone's family member | Letters

My beautiful granddaughter, Danielle Kathleen Mahaffey, was shot and killed on Jan. 26 in Oklahoma City.

Over the previous few months, she lost her job (that she liked) in Tulsa, experienced a mental/emotional breakdown, spray-painted her car with conspiracy theories, was convinced her loved ones had implanted chips under her skin to track her and other sorts of stuff.  Danielle needed mental health care, but refused, then went missing and ended up living in her car in Oklahoma City.

The suspects have been charged, and I want readers to know that Danielle was a brilliant young woman (on two honor rolls at her university), an Army veteran (Afghanistan), later a National Guardsman, a talented artist, an athlete (runner) who thought basic training was overrated and joked it was a walk in the park, and was a hardworking, funny and creative girl who loved children and hoped to be a mother someday.

Whoever reads this, please remember Danielle’s story when you see someone on the street who you believe to be just another "unhoused" person. Their family might be looking for them. Danielle was loved beyond words and she also had a home (she had at least 10 homes she could go to).

Although Danielle was well-loved as a granddaughter, daughter, sister, niece and by her large, extended family who all adored her ― love was not enough. The evil forces of a wide, cruel world took her from us. Our precious Danielle lost her battle with substance use, trauma-related mental health issues and a gun ― in an abandoned school building in Oklahoma City.

Hug your babies.

― Candace Young-Richey, Danielle’s Granny, Las Vegas, Nevada

Uplifting pups amid devastation

Amidst the devastation of Marietta, the photo of Rosie and Posie in the truck window was a poignant, but charming, selection of news photos — thanks!

― Derel Schrock, Edmond

Voters, you have another choice

Do you know that all statewide elected officials in Oklahoma are Republican, including Gov. Kevin Stitt, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, Secretary of State Brian Bingman, State Treasurer Todd Russ, Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready and all three Corporation Commissioners: Todd Hiett, Dana Murphy and Bob Anthony. Among state legislators, only eight senators and 20 representatives are Democrats, while a supermajority ― 121 of ‘em ― are all Republicans.

Republicans are responsible for what’s happened in our state since they started winning in 2008. Did you know 79% of Republicans voted straight party Republican in 2022 on the belief that they didn’t need to check out people’s qualifications, history or loyalty to out-of-state donors because somehow the Republican Party is morally superior. Well, how’s that working out for us?

I used to be a Republican, too. Then I decided that too much power leads to corruption and elected leaders who work for themselves, their donors and their next high-paying jobs, not for the people of Oklahoma and the future of our state. They believe an R by their names means a win in the next election, so no need to listen to the people when greedy donors demand results.

If you think education, housing, food costs, health care, child welfare, equal rights and your own opportunities are going great, then keep on voting straight-party Republican — or don’t vote at all. That’s what they want. Then things will be exactly like they are now or worse.

In the words of a great President Ronald Reagan, if you feel like you and your family could do better, then there’s another choice that you have: Stop voting for corrupt party hacks who care much more about themselves and their next high-paying political jobs than they do about the people of Oklahoma like us.

— Redmond "Red" Goldfarb, Bethany

Invest in foster care system; recruit more foster families

"Oklahoma’s foster care system is facing a critical shortage of foster homes. It is imperative that state legislators allocate more resources to support existing foster homes as well as recruit and support new foster families.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Human Service's annual report from 2023, there were 7,029 “out-of-home foster care placements.” They also reported that one-third of foster children in Oklahoma were placed in homes or group facilities more than two counties away from their communities. Putting it into perspective, that is 4,686 children who were placed approximately two hours away, if not more, from their friends and families.

Children who are in foster care often feel immense stress due to separation from their families and the unfamiliar environments they are introduced to. These challenges are exacerbated when they are moved so far away from all that they know.

The distance can make reunification more difficult because of the travel times for parental visitations or other court mandates. Additionally, distant placements present social workers who have the duty to ensure child safety through routine checkups with time-consuming and costly travels.

Oklahoma must begin recognizing these issues and invest in the foster system by better supporting foster homes, allocating resources and recruiting foster families.

— Reagan Adams, Tulsa

Like Jim Young, I want to do something

I saw a story on MSNBC concerning Trump based on Jim Young's thoughts. What he has said is what I said when we last voted for president. I am a Republican, too, but can see where this is headed. I know the Bible tells us so much, but I think we as humans have the right to try and change things.

I wish you would forward my name and phone number to Mr. Young. Like him, I would like to do something but don't know how. I am 75, have lived a lot, but this is the worst I've seen. If there's any way I can help change people's mind, I have to try, but feel hopeless.

― Vada Harsen, Choctaw

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Remember when you see 'unhoused' person that they are someone's family member | Letters